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This week on black-ish, we’re still black! Jokes, jokes. But seriously, Andre is still adamant about teaching his son Andre Jr. about the codified world of “blackness.” However, the codes Andre thinks are cut-and-dried symbols of “the struggle” are actually more malleable than he initially realizes.

Once again, Andre is striving to teach his son about the ways of the black male—or, to use Pops’ description: “basic black” behavior. He believes his son is completely removed for all things black guy because there’s a severe drought of black boys at his private school, and the only people of color that are there—boys with parents hailing from Malawi, Sri Lanka and the Philippines—aren’t black enough for Andre. So he and Pops decide it’s time for Andre to really learn about black male habits, such as “the nod” and the face men make at women with large butts (which wasn’t great back then, but certainly isn’t fantastic in the more aware times we live in).

Meanwhile, Rainbow is hoping Diane will want to follow in her footsteps and become an ER doctor. Diane really doesn’t want to become a doctor, though—her project for her school’s Career Day focuses more on Andre’s advertising job. Rainbow still sees Diane as her best shot at carrying on the doctor legacy. Jack is more focused on his “teen sensation” dreams, and Zoey is way too wrapped up in popular-girl drama to care about legacies.

In an effort to change Diane’s mind, Rainbow takes her to her job at the hospital, and for most of it, Diane is bored. She gets especially bored when she has to be babysat by Nurse Larry, who makes a “turkey” out of a blown-up medical glove. It’s only when Diane returns from the bathroom (slipping past Nurse Larry) that she is lured into the exciting, gross, and reality-defying world of the emergency room.

Meanwhile, Andre has taken his son to a pickup basketball game at the local Boys & Girls club. Pickup basketball is, according to Andre, another code of “blackness.” I guess that’s one code I can identify with more. To this day, my dad will still join a pickup game, but honestly, everyone plays basketball, so it’s not like we’re living in an episode of Good Times. Unfortunately, Andre doesn’t realize that his 1970s rules don’t apply to the 21st century, which leaves Pilates-loving Andre Jr. flailing among sweaty men on the court.

Rainbow feels like she’s traumatized Diane forever, and Andre feels like he’s failed as a black man raising a black son. What they don’t know yet is that they’ve both paved the way for good things. Diane actually loved being in the midst of patients with hatchets in their heads, and the reasonable doubt doctors get when it comes to the deaths of patients. She can’t wait to become a doctor, and although Rainbow seems a little freaked out as to what prompted the sudden change in Diane, she couldn’t be happier to have a future doctor in the family.

The solution to Andre’s problem comes from the new transfer from Seattle, Charlie (a black guy). He’s very handsy, has a severe lack of social boundaries, and puts his footprints (and foot sweat) into Andre’s mint-condition Air Force Ones, but Charlie’s son is the perfect match for Andre Jr. Both are black (which appeases Andre) and both love The Lord of the Rings (which appeases Andre Jr.).

It’s walking in on the boys playing with Andre Jr.’s detailed Hobbit hole model that Andre realizes that being down with the struggle doesn’t have to look like it did when he was growing up. Even though there are clearly still some issues in America when it comes to race relations, Andre Jr. is in a multicultural world now. A great example of this multiculturalism occurs when an Asian boy, someone Andre probably wouldn’t have considered as “down with the struggle,” gives the nod to Andre Jr., who returns the gesture. Just being yourself—in Andre Jr.’s case, being a nerd—is the best way to live.

Of course, there are always some old-school ways that still trickle down the generations, like teaching the young to objectify women.

Expression Of JoyThe Brady Bunch: Groovy! The Bradys: Ritual hugging Married…With Children: ”Oh, great.” Thirtysomething: ”Of course I’m happy for you. Really. But what about me? Why does it always have to be about you? The Flintstones: ”Yabba-dabba doo

Expression Of Rage

The Brady Bunch: ”Hmmm…” The Bradys: ”If you back away from something you really want, then you’re a quitter!” (the angriest any Brady has ever been) Married…With Children: ”Aaagh, God, take me from this miserable life!” Thirtysomething: ”I’m not angry, OK?” The Flintstones: ”Willllmaaaa!”

Typical ProblemThe Brady Bunch: Marcia and her rival both want to be the prom queen. The Bradys: Bobby gets paralyzed. Married…With Children: Al doesn’t buy his family Christmas presents. Thirtysomething: Nancy gets cancer. The Flintstones: Fred and Barney are staying out too late.

Typical SolutionThe Brady Bunch: The prom committee decides to have two queens. The Bradys: Bobby gets married. Married…With Children: They hate him. Thirtysomething: If only we knew… The Flintstones: Wilma and Betty decide to follow them.

Attitude Toward SexThe Brady Bunch: Never heard of it The Bradys: Omigod — even Cindy does it! Married…With Children: Peg: Yes. Al: No. Thirtysomething: They didn’t get all those kids by accident. The Flintstones: Prehistoric

How Spouses FightThe Brady Bunch: They don’t. The Bradys: Infrequently, but it happens Married…With Children: Tooth and nail Thirtysomething: They stop talking The Flintstones: Fred and Barney go bowling while Wilma and Betty max out their charge cards.

How Kids Get Into TroubleThe Brady Bunch: Greg takes a puff of a cigarette. The Bradys: Carol’s grandson steals her business cards and sticks them in the spokes of Bobby’s wheelchair. Married…With Children: By committing felonies Thirtysomething: Ethan plays with a forbidden toy rocket. The Flintstones: They don’t.

How They’re Punished

The Brady Bunch: ”It’s not what you did, honey — it’s that you couldn’t come to us.” The Bradys ”Next time, ask.” Married…With Children: By the authorities Thirtysomething: It blows up in his face. The Flintstones: They’re not.

What Family Does For FunThe Brady Bunch: Takes special three-part vacations to Hawaii and the Grand Canyon The Bradys: Has flashbacks Married…With Children: Exchanges insults Thirtysomething: Talks The Flintstones: Attends showings of The Monster at the Bedrock Drive-In

Unsolved MysteriesThe Brady Bunch: How exactly did Carol’s first husband and Mike’s first wife die? The Bradys: What’s with Marcia’s new face and Bobby’s blonde hair Married…With Children: What kind of hair spray does Peg use? Thirtysomething: Why did Nancy take Elliot back? What do Gary and Susanna see in each other? The Flintstones: How does Barney’s shirt stay on if he has no shoulders? Where do Fred and Wilma plug in their TV?

Worst BehaviorThe Brady Bunch: The Brady children once made Alice feel under-appreciated.

Best Reason To WatchThe Brady Bunch: This is what life should be. The Bradys: They’re all grown-ups now! Married…With Children: Terry Rakolta hates it. Thirtysomething (Tie) This is your life. This isn’t your life. The Flintstones: This is what life might have been.

Best Reason Not To WatchThe Brady Bunch: Blurred vision from rerun overdoses. The Bradys: You’re all grown-ups now. Married…With Children: She has a point. Thirtysomething: After a while, you think it’s real. The Flintstones: The Simpsons